Transforming Yoga into a Globally Rewarding Profession: MoS, Ayush
Interview
A
s the 10th Inter-national Day of Yoga is being celebrated, the spotlight is not only on Yoga’s global appeal but also on its growing role in employment generation and skill development. In this exclusive interview, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Ayush, Shri Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav, speaks with Shri Siddharth Jha for Employment News about the Ministry’s vision to transform Yoga into a structured, sustainable career path for India’s youth. The Minister highlights key initiatives—ranging from certification and digital training to international collaborations and entrepreneurship—that are helping integrate Yoga into the mainstream economy while promoting holistic health and well-being worldwide.
Q: What is the theme of International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2025 and how is it being celebrated?
A: The theme of IDY 2025 is “Yoga for One Earth, One Health,” emphasizing the unity of human, animal, and environmental well-being. To celebrate this, the Ministry of Ayush has launched 10 major initiatives:
1. Yoga Sangam – Synchronized Yoga at 1,00,000 locations
2. Yoga Bandhan – International collaborations in 10 countries
3. Yoga Parks – Creation of 1,000 community yoga parks
4. Yoga Samavesh – Inclusive programs for elders, children, and marginalized groups
5. Yoga Prabhava – Decade-long public health impact study
6. Yoga Connect – Virtual Global Yoga Summit
7. Harit Yoga – Tree planting and cleanliness drives
8. Yoga Unplugged – Youth-focused social media campaigns
9. Yoga Maha Kumbh – Week-long celebrations at 10 locations
10. Samyogam – 100-day integration of Yoga with modern healthcare
These efforts promote Yoga as a global, inclusive, and sustainable movement.
Q: How is the Ministry integrating technology and innovation into Yoga promotion—for instance, through the Yoga Tech Challenge or digital outreach platforms?
A: The Ministry of Ayush is using technology to make Yoga more accessible, engaging, and personalised:
1. Yoga Tech Challenge: This initiative invites startups and innovators to develop tools like apps, wearables, AI coaches, and VR-based training to support yoga learning and practice, especially among youth and tech-savvy users.
2. Digital Outreach: The Ministry supports yoga apps, online classes, and web portals offering tutorials and live sessions. Social media and YouTube are used to spread yoga content globally, while virtual events and webinars enable broad participation.
3. Tech Collaborations: Partnerships with IT firms and startups are driving innovations like AI-powered posture correction, customised yoga plans, and interactive learning modules.
4. Research & Analytics: Data tools and wearables help track yoga’s health benefits, monitor trends, and improve teaching methods, making yoga safer and more effective.
These efforts go beyond digitisation—they aim to transform how Yoga is practised and shared, ensuring it reaches a wider, modern audience.
Q: What role do digital platforms and online training modules play in making Yoga more accessible and expanding career prospects in the Ayush sector?
A: Digital platforms are transforming Yoga education and careers in the Ayush sector by:
1. Enhancing Access: They remove geographic barriers, offer flexible, on-demand learning, and support multi-language, customised content for diverse learners.
2. Ensuring Quality: Online tools help standardise curriculum and certification, maintaining consistent training standards and career credibility.
3. Building Skills: Specialised modules (e.g., yoga for diabetes or elderly care) support continuous professional development and expertise.
4. Expanding Careers: Digital training enables roles beyond teaching—like therapists, coaches, researchers, and entrepreneurs running online studios or wellness apps.
5. Fostering Community: Webinars and forums connect practitioners globally, enabling mentorship, collaboration, and shared opportunities.
6. Supporting Research: Platforms gather user data to evaluate outcomes, strengthening Yoga’s integration into evidence-based healthcare and policy.
Overall, digital platforms democratise access, improve training, and create new pathways in the Ayush ecosystem.
Q: How is the Ministry leveraging International Yoga Day to position Yoga as a respected and rewarding career path, both in India and globally?
A: The Ministry of Ayush is strategically using International Yoga Day (IDY) as a catalyst to transform Yoga into a globally recognised and rewarding profession. Here’s how this is being achieved across multiple fronts:
Global Visibility and Diplomatic Promotion
• Mass Participation Events: Every year on IDY, large-scale yoga demonstrations are held globally, including a flagship event often led by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. These events promote India’s soft power and establish its leadership in wellness diplomacy.
• International Collaborations:Through partnerships with foreign governments, UN bodies, and Indian embassies, Yoga training programmes and teacher exchanges are being promoted internationally, creating overseas career opportunities for Indian Yoga professionals.
Professionalisation of Yoga
• Standardised Curriculum & Certification:
o The Yoga Certification Board (YCB) sets national standards, conducts competency exams, and awards certifications across four levels—Protocol Instructor, Wellness Instructor, Teacher & Evaluator, and Master.
o These certifications are increasingly recognised in countries such as the UAE, Mauritius, and ASEAN nations, improving international employability.
• Integration into Higher Education:
o Institutions like the Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY) and various public universities now offer undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Yoga, creating academic and research-based career paths.
o New electives and credit-based Yoga courses are being introduced in higher education as per NEP 2020.
Economic and Entrepreneurial Opportunities
• Skill India Mission Integration:
o Yoga is a recognised skill under the National Skill Qualification Framework (NSQF). Short-term courses and placement-linked training prepare students for real-world jobs in fitness centres, wellness retreats, and public health institutions.
• Yoga Tourism Development:
o States like Uttarakhand, Kerala, and Goa are being positioned as Yoga tourism hubs, offering roles for Yoga instructors, retreat coordinators, therapists, and wellness guides.
Public Messaging and Career Awareness
• During IDY, the Ministry runs dedicated campaigns and conferences on “Careers in Yoga,” featuring:
o Success stories of Yoga professionals.
o Career panels and counselling sessions.
o Digital brochures and video content explaining the certification process and viable income streams in Yoga teaching, therapy, and entrepreneurship.
Support for Start-ups and Wellness Businesses
• Ayush Start-up Challenge: Encourages youth to develop Yoga-related products and tech solutions (e.g., posture correction tools, virtual class platforms).
• Funding & Incubation: Selected start-ups receive government funding, mentorship, and incubation support to build scalable businesses in Yoga apparel, online platforms, wellness retreats, and Ayurveda integration.
Digital and Global Reach
• Online Access: Platforms like MyGov, YouTube, and Ayush digital portals stream Yoga sessions, courses, and workshops, enabling self-paced learning and certification from anywhere in the world.
• E-learning Modules: Collaborations with platforms like SWAYAM and DIKSHA offer certified Yoga training free or at low cost, improving access for rural and international learners.
By combining diplomacy, education, digital infrastructure, skill development, and entrepreneurship, International Yoga Day has become more than a celebration—it is now a launchpad for millions to explore Yoga as a sustainable and respected career path, aligned with India’s global wellness leadership.
Q: What career opportunities are emerging for India’s youth in the Ayush sector, particularly in Yoga and traditional medicine?
A: Career opportunities in the Ayush sector are expanding rapidly in India, driven by both government initiatives and a growing global demand for holistic and traditional health systems. Here’s a breakdown of emerging opportunities, particularly in Yoga and traditional medicine systems of India (Ayurveda, Siddha, etc.):
Career opportunities in the fields of Yoga and Ayurveda span diverse sectors. In clinical practice and therapy, professionals can work as yoga therapists in hospitals, wellness centres, and rehab clinics, managing conditions like diabetes, anxiety, and hypertension. Ayurveda practitioners can serve as doctors in Ayush hospitals, herbal medicine consultants, or Panchakarma therapists for detox and wellness programmes. In education and training, careers include yoga instruction in schools and colleges, lecturing in Ayush institutions (with an MD in Ayurveda), and developing online courses. The wellness and tourism industry offers roles such as wellness retreat coordinators, Ayurveda tourism experts in destinations like Kerala and Rishikesh, and spa or yoga retreat managers. In research and development, one can become a clinical researcher in Ayush pharmacology, a formulation scientist, or a yoga research scholar. Entrepreneurship and startups offer avenues in launching Ayush product lines (e.g., herbal cosmetics, supplements), building digital health platforms, and managing herbal farming supply chains. Global opportunities include working as yoga teachers or cultural ambassadors through ICCR and MEA, Ayush export consultants, or cross-cultural wellness advisors. Finally, in government and policy, roles are available as Ayush officers, public health advisors integrating traditional medicine, or regulatory experts ensuring product safety and compliance.
Key Enablers
• National Ayush Mission (NAM) actively promoting Ayush services nationwide
• WHO collaboration supporting traditional medicine and validating practices
• Rising awareness of preventive and mental health care, both in India and globally
In-Demand Skills
• Proficiency in English and Sanskrit for interpreting traditional texts and global communication
• Tech-savviness for using telehealth platforms, wellness apps, and virtual learning tools
• A solid grounding in biomedical sciences to work in integrative healthcare environments
These emerging paths reflect the Ayush sector’s evolution from tradition to innovation, opening diverse and meaningful careers for India’s youth.
Q3. How does the government support skill development and certification programmes for aspiring Yoga teachers and Ayush professionals?
A. The Government of India actively supports the skill development and certification of aspiring Yoga teachers and Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) professionals through various schemes, institutions, and digital platforms. Here’s how this support is structured:
Ministry of Ayush Initiatives
The Ministry of Ayush plays a central role in promoting education, training, and certification across India’s traditional medicine systems.
a. Yoga Certification Board (YCB)
• Established by: Ministry of Ayush
• Objective: To standardise and certify Yoga professionals.
• Levels of Certification:
o Yoga Protocol Instructor
o Yoga Wellness Instructor
o Yoga Teacher and Evaluator
o Yoga Master
• Features:
o Assessments conducted through accredited examination bodies
o Certifications are valid across India and recognised internationally
b. Ayush Health and Wellness Centres (HWCs)
• Part of the Ayushman Bharat initiative
• Promote Yoga-based and wellness interventions
• Provide employment for certified Yoga instructors and Ayush practitioners
2. Skill India Mission and NSDC
The Skill India Mission, led by the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE), supports skill-building for Ayush professionals.
a. National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC)
• Partners with Ayush institutions to design Qualification Packs (QPs) for Yoga instructors and therapists
• Supports training providers under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)
b. Sector Skill Councils (SSCs)
• The Healthcare Sector Skill Council and Beauty & Wellness Sector Skill Council offer training modules and certifications in Yoga and wellness
3. Educational Support and Scholarships
a. Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN)
• Offers fellowships and research grants
• Conducts training and orientation programmes for Yoga teachers
b. National Institute of Naturopathy (NIN), Pune
• Offers diploma and certificate courses
• Conducts continuing medical education (CME) programmes
c. Ayush Scholarship Schemes
• Offered under ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations)
• Supports Indian and international students pursuing UG, PG, and Ph.D. programmes in Ayush disciplines
4. State Governments and Universities
• Several states run State Ayush Missions with central funding
• Institutions like Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga and Banaras Hindu University offer structured training and certification
5. Digital Learning Platforms
• The SWAYAM platform provides free certified online courses in Yoga and Ayurveda
• The Ministry collaborates with DIKSHA and other ed-tech platforms to deliver digital content
Q. Are there any specific recruitment drives or government schemes—such as the National Ayush Mission’s Multi-Purpose Worker vacancies—that young job seekers should be aware of in 2025?
A: Yes, in 2025, several government recruitment drives and schemes are open for young job seekers in the healthcare and Ayush sectors. These include positions under the National Ayush Mission, such as Multi-Purpose Workers, Yoga instructors, and other roles in newly established Health and Wellness Centres.
Q. Are there plans to integrate Yoga teaching positions more systematically into school and college education frameworks across the country?
A: Yes, both national and state-level efforts are underway to formally integrate Yoga teaching roles into educational institutions, aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises physical and mental well-being as key components of holistic education.
National Initiatives
1. Teacher Training Programmes
o The National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE) is introducing the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) with specialisation in Yoga, arts, and Sanskrit.
o Aims to train holistic educators under NEP 2020.
2. Curriculum Integration
o Yoga is being included in the curriculum from primary to higher education levels as a vital tool for well-being.
3. Vocational Courses
o Under the Samagra Shiksha Scheme, Delhi has approved vocational courses in schools like “Science of Living”, which blends yoga and mindfulness for emotional well-being.
State-Level Initiatives
1. Himachal Pradesh
o Plans to introduce Yoga as a separate subject in senior secondary schools.
o The SCERT is drafting the syllabus and formulating rules for recruitment and promotion of Yoga teachers.
2. Jharkhand
o The Yoga Olympiad initiative integrates Yoga into daily school life.
o Yoga clubs are being created, and selected students receive specialised training.
3. Uttar Pradesh
o The government is setting up integrated Ayush colleges in every division.
o Yoga and naturopathy centres are mandatory in all such institutions.
Challenges and Opportunities
Despite these developments, challenges remain—particularly in training qualified Yoga instructors, developing infrastructure, and creating detailed curricula. However, these initiatives present a major opportunity to position Yoga as an integral part of education and promote the overall well-being of students across India.
There is a concerted push at both the national and state levels to integrate Yoga into the mainstream education system and promote it as a professional pathway. From formal degrees and certifications to school-based teaching roles, Yoga is gaining ground as a career backed by structured government support.
(The interviewer is Public Relations Officer, All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi. Views expressed are personal)